Adam Wilk

Wilk’s innovative teaching idea, “ADUs: Engineering a Solution for Growing Cities,” was developed to help students understand how engineering principles can help cities maintain sustainability amid growing populations. According to Wilk, as population growth continues and housing development slows, communities must find ways to maximize their current space, while still prioritizing safety. With the Voya grant funds, students will now be able to engage in projects like building model windmills to test their effectiveness in generating energy. They will also create earthquake towers to test structural strength against simulated high-magnitude earthquakes. In addition, students learn the entire process of building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on an existing residential property. Wilk says ADUs have become popular in recent years to either house multiple generations of a family or provide extra rental income. The program will allow them to research and design their own ADU with the help of specialized engineering laptops and explore the benefits and pitfalls of such structures.